Culture. Travel. Writing. My world in words and pictures

The Streets of London: Chihuly at Kew Gardens.

During the Easter break we were fortunate to have some extraordinarily unseasonable weather – the sun shone, the sky was a bright summer blue and the thermometer rose – so this seemed the perfect opportunity to see an outdoor glass installation by a favourite artist.

The Dale Chihuly Exhibition, “Reflections on Nature” at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is a sequence of artworks, both indoors and nestled within the famous glasshouses. It took a couple of hours of gentle strolling to see them all and to spend time really looking at these beautiful works within the natural environment.

Enjoy!

Niijima Floats Japanese Garden Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

In the temperate house, Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Lime Crystal Tower Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

In the Temperate House Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

In the Temperate House Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Summer Sun Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Summer Sun detail Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Ethereal White Persian Pond in the Lily House Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Ethereal White Persian pond Dale chihuly at Kew Gardens

Temperate House Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Ethereal White Persian Pond in the Lily house Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Sapphire Star Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

Outside the Temperate House Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens

As well as seeing the installations in the garden, we visited the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art (located inside Kew and included as part of your ticket). There is a large exhibition of classic pieces by Chihuly, some of which I already knew. However, I particularly liked seeing his drawings, which detail the swirls and undulations of the final pieces with an immediacy that is fascinating.

As I write this post, the weather has turned into Storm Hannah, wet, cold and far more like April. However the spirit of these wonderful works is continuing to keep a warm glow inside me. Later in the year there will be the chance to see them lit up at night. Something tells me I’ll be going!